Last Friday's assembly, led by the Chandler Science Department, centered around a theme that resonated with every student and educator alike: Learning from Mistakes: How Errors Lead to Discovery. With engaging presentations, the assembly showcased how mistakes are not failures but, rather, opportunities for curiosity, learning and innovation.

 

The assembly kicked off with an introduction from 8th grader Dylan K., who emphasized that while mistakes can feel discouraging, they often lead to unexpected breakthroughs. He posed the question: What if the greatest discoveries in science were made because of mistakes? The answer to this came in the form of several stories from science's past narrated by students.

 

6th grader Kathryn O. took the stage first, recounting the discovery of penicillin. She explained how Alexander Fleming’s accidental discovery in 1928 revolutionized medicine. What started as a mishap—a mold growing on a petri dish—became the first antibiotic, saving millions of lives.

 

Next, 6th grader Caleb L. highlighted another fascinating example: the invention of the microwave oven. In the 1940s, Percy Spencer noticed that a chocolate bar in his pocket melted while he worked with radar technology. His curiosity led to further experiments, which eventually birthed the microwave oven, now a household staple.

 

The surprises didn’t stop there. 7th grader Aaliyah A. shared the story of Wilhelm Roentgen, who discovered X-rays in 1895 while experimenting with cathode rays. A glowing fluorescent screen across the room captured his attention, and instead of ignoring it, he explored further, leading to a breakthrough that transformed medical imaging.

 

7th grader Lucas V. then shared a more everyday invention: sticky notes! He explained how Spencer Silver at 3M created a weak adhesive by mistake while trying to make a strong one. Years later, this "failed" experiment became the cornerstone of the sticky note, one of the world’s most commonly used office supplies. 

 

To reinforce the theme, 8th grader Charlotte S. presented a live demonstration of the Müller-Lyer illusion. The audience was asked to compare the length of two lines on the screen, many of them assuming one was longer than the other. Charlotte revealed that both lines were the same length, showing how easily our brains can be fooled—and how mistakes like these help scientists understand how our minds work.

 

Dylan wrapped up the assembly by driving home the main takeaways: mistakes are part of the learning process, staying curious leads to discovery and persistence is key when things don’t work out right away. Thank you to the Science Department, including the Middle School teachers—Ms. Ghazarian, Mr. Cal and Mr. R—and Lower School’s Mr. Alexander, for their continued dedication to fostering this growth mindset and encouraging students to embrace mistakes as learning opportunities.

 

The assembly was a celebration of perseverance and curiosity. Through the examples shared, students were reminded that whether in the classroom, on the field or in everyday life, mistakes can often lead to something great!